Tim Swiel kicked all the points for the hosts, who suffered a
first home loss of the season in their final game before a tough tour
to Australasia starting next week.

The Sharks, who stayed top of
the log despite the loss, were dealt a blow before kick-off when captain
Bismarck du Plessis and Jean Deysel were ruled out through injury with
Kyle Cooper and Ettienne Oosthuizen drafted in.

The Highlanders
began well by taking the lead inside three minutes when the home side
were penalised at the scrum, allowing Lima Sopoaga to slot over.

From
the restart, Aaron Smith knocked on allowing the Sharks their first
attack, and when the ball was spread to the left, Lwazi Mvovo thought he
had scored the opening try, only for television official Shaun Veldsman
to rule that Charl McLeod's pass was forward.

However, advantage was being played for a breakdown infringement and Tim Swiel levelled the score in the seventh minute.

The
rookie number 10 missed his second kick at goal from wide on the right
when Patrick Osborne erred, but made amends by putting his side in front
after 14 minutes when Nasi Manu was caught making a side entry at the
ruck.

The Highlanders, though, grabbed the opening try after 16
minutes when Buckman did excellently to finish Shaun Treeby's superb
grubber kick that pierced open the home defence on the right.

Another
penalty straight after the restart, this time for off-side against the
New Zealanders, allowed Swiel to cut the gap to one, although more
relentless pressure cut open the Sharks defence for a second time after
27 minutes as Aaron Smith went in under the posts.

And after
Swiel squandered another penalty, the competition pace-setters were
shocked when Christie was on the end of a huge maul from the visitors
leaving the home crowd dumbstruck at 24-9 after only 34 minutes.

Fortunately, Swiel found his range with a tough kick after the hooter leaving the deficit at 12 at the changeover.

Jake
White's men needed a big second half and they got the perfect start
with Swiel landing three more points after Ben Smith failed to roll
away.

Things got better for them when Joseph Wheeler received a
yellow card for playing the man in the air at an attacking line-out - Swiel bringing the gap to just six.

The Durbanites failed to
capitalise on their man advantage, with the Otago side taking the lead
back to nine points with 14 minutes to play through another Sopoaga
penalty.

Fekitoa then scored the try of the game when he
collected the ball on the halfway mark and weaved his way through a
whole host of players, before touching down close to the post to seal
the bonus-point point try and with it, the win.

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